like a fish out of water
"They immediately abandoned their nets and became His followers." —Mark 1:18
When a fish is caught and taken out of the water, it dies. The former watery world that it knew "is passing away" (1 Cor 7:31). Similarly, everything changes when we enter into the kingdom of God. Living in God's kingdom is as different from our pre-Christian life as it is for that fish trying to live on land. Lifestyles that worked underwater no longer work in fresh air. In order for the fish to live on land, it literally has to die to its old life. The fish would need to die and receive a new nature to be able to live on land.
So it is with us human beings. To live in the kingdom of God, we die to our old nature in Baptism and become "sharers of the divine nature" (2 Pt 1:4) when we rise from the waters of Baptism. Now our old lifestyle won't work. Once we begin living the new, baptized life in Christ, we can no longer live the lifestyle we had before Christ. We have to put away the things we used to do before we gave ourselves to Jesus. We can no longer live as do the nonbelievers (1 Pt 4:2-3). We die to ourselves, pick up our cross each day, follow Jesus, and live the new lifestyle that befits a member of the household of God (1 Tm 3:15).
Are you struggling to live a godly life? Are you having a hard time breathing the risen air? Maybe you're not dead yet. Ask Jesus to crucify your old nature (Gal 6:14-15) and raise you up to life to the full (Jn 10:10).
Prayer: Father, I want everything You have for me. I want it all. Take everything that keeps me from You. Give me Your risen life.
Promise: "Reform your lives and believe in the gospel!" —Mk 1:15
Praise: Praise Jesus, the only Way to the Father! Praise Jesus, risen from the dead! Praise Jesus, soon to come.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 30, 2014
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